You need to let the decision-maker know that even if someone comes in offering to do the job cheaper (they will), your results are going to more than make up for any additional cost they incur by employing you.

But to do that, you need to be on the same page with the decision-maker.

To be on the same page, you have to agree on what the results are.

Goals Are the Key to Reduced Churn During Downtimes

Once you agree on what the results are, you can start setting smart goals for what the results will be.

And once you can set smart goals, that’s when you can become irreplaceable.

If you can set realistic goals that the decision-maker agrees to, you can set yourself up for long-term success.

Set the goal and get the decision-maker to agree to it. Get it in writing, or in an email.

I’ve found it can be effective to put the goals on paper and make both parties sign the paper, agreeing that if the goals are met, the relationship will continue.

It’s definitely a risk if you don’t hit the goals – but don’t set a goal you don’t think you can hit.

If the decision-maker wants to set an unrealistic goal, you need to fight back.

Suggest making the unrealistic goal a “stretch goal” and set a more realistic actual goal.

Don’t get pressured into agreeing to something you can’t deliver.

Goals Are Not Guarantees

Even if you don’t hit a goal you can save the relationship by communicating why the goal wasn’t hit and what’s going to change in the future.

But when the marketing budgets are being cut left and right because of a down economy, having stated goals with monetary numbers backing them up can save your job.

The Bottom Line Is the Bottom Line

The economy will tank.

It may not be tomorrow, or next month, or even in the next two years.

But the leading economic experts are warning it could happen sooner rather than later.

When that happens, SEOs can thrive because what we do contributes to the bottom line, even if the economy is in the dumps.

But in order to survive, we need to prepare now.

Set goals with your decision-makers.

Agree on what success looks like.

Become irreplaceable.

If you do these things, you’ll weather the upcoming financial storm just fine.